I have never tried oysters before I arrived in Caen... I did today - they are errrmmmm... slimy and salty! I have also never tried Mussels before, or Gazpacho, or cottage cheese with Sugar... I can also safely say that, whilst none of these offended my senses, I probably wont be adding them to my weekly shoping list and i definitely will NOT be learning to make any of them! Those of you who know my basic pallet will understand why I have told Family B that I am on a health kick whilst hiding 5 large bars of Milka in my wardrobe next to my jumpers...

Another thing I am finding difficult to master is living in a house where I am not free to break everything that I come into contact with. Stuart has lived with me long enough to expect at least one broken thing a week! Imagine how hard it is for me to live in a beautiful house full of antique crockery...

So, today I couldnt put off using the washing machine any longer. I was quickly shown how to use it last night or so I thought. I should say here that my washing machine at home is a standard open front electric washing machine - easy - I can use it quite fine. This one is older than time itself, it is top loading and has funny old dials all in french laundry language but, I was told that all I needed to do was to put the stuff in, turn the dial to 4 and tahdah! Clean clothes. So, I went to have a bath and I'll admit I could hear a lot of noise but I thought, old machine, noisy, no bother. Then I went to get the clothes, it wont open. I seems to have stopped. I manage to (finally) open the lid and the clothes are SOAKED! Did I overload it? Try to put it on to spin (once I've looked up the word for spin in the dictionary) BUT it ended up starting itself off on a 90 degree white wash and I cannot stop it! I managed to force it to stop and had to wait for Mrs B to return.

I got that look that people give you when telling you it really doesnt matter when it really does...

It was her grand mother's washing machine.

She knows people like the modern ones, but she really likes it.

I hadn't closed the doors.

UH OH

After giving it a full check up and me the look that says don't **** with my washing machine, I have some clean damp clothes and all is right with the world... I might just buy new ones from now on :)

I have also been out drinking beer again - It was the end of the first intensive week so I think we deserved it! I sensibly went home for my dinner whilst the others ended up apparently having a very heavy night which, after the first pub alone they had a bar bill of 230€!!!!

It has been SUPER hot here and we went to the fete de la port on Saturday where I sat in a big chair, had a sword fight and watched some belly dancers. I have put some photos up of the weekend on the photos tab.

I have another week of intensive language course to go tomorrow so, wish me (and my liver) luck!

À la prochaine!